He Didn't Have to Be
by Shaggelmalove
Summary: A songfic using Brad Paisley's 'He Didn't Have to Be,' about the birth of Harry's first son and his reminescence of 'fathers' passed.


**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE!  
>Me: Set to Harry when he has his first child and he starts to think of all of the 'fathers' he has had over the years :) Fathers are: Arthur Weasley, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, and Remus Lupin.<strong>

He Didn't Have to Be:

Harry looked into the face of his newborn son as he held him for the first time out in the halls of St. Mungo's hospital. He was perfect, his little wrinkled skin pink with the glow of new life and small tufts of his father's jet black hair. He looked so much like Ginny and Harry didn't doubt that when he opened his eyes they would be as warmly brown as his wife's. As he held his son in his arms he couldn't help but feel a sense of closure envelope him. He'd waited years to feel like this, to feel like his family was fully a family. He felt a hand on his shoulder and Arthur was smiling at him proudly. "You've done a great job, Harry. Thank you." Arthur put a finger to the baby's cheek and stroked it softly.

_When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new,  
>it always ends up feeling like a job interview.<br>My mama used to wonder if she'd ever meet someone  
>who wouldn't find out about me and then turn around and run.<em>

Harry sat down with his son and his thoughts traveled back to when he was just twelve years old and he'd gone to the burrow for the first time. Ron's mother had only ever met him twice before, both times at Platform 9 and 3/4, but she had given him a warm smile and a hug before sending him in for breakfast. Arthur hadn't even questioned his staying with them when he saw Harry in their kitchen that morning, he had just grinned and put a hand on his shoulder in welcome. Arthur had practically taken him in for that summer as one of his own sons. Harry had never felt out of place when he was at the burrow, he just felt at home. Arthur and Molly had done so much for him, they gave him home cooked meals, birthday cakes and presents on Christmas and other holidays. They never once rejected him from their home, no matter what their financial state. Marrying Ginny only legalized how he already felt about them.

_And then, all of a sudden, though it seems so strange to me,  
>how we went from something's missing to a family.<br>Lookin' back all I can say about all the things he did for me,  
>is I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be.<em>

As he handed his son to Ron his thoughts continued to travel back. He remembered all those years at Hogwarts with Dumbledore, how he had guided him all those years with a loving hand to prepare him for when he would have to face the inevitable. He would never have made it as far as he had if it weren't for him. He just wished he could see him now, what he would think of his child when it went to Hogwarts for his first year and what he would say to Harry at this moment as his son was being passed around by family and friends. Thinking of Dumbledore of course had him thinking of Sirius when he had first met him when he was thirteen. They had both done so much for him by just being there when he needed them to be. Sirius had loved him like a son, attempted to take him under his wing from the Dursleys, given him a Firebolt when his Nimbus 2000 was thrown into the Whomping Willow Tree, but mostly he loved him like his own father would have were he still alive. He could only hope as he looked at his newborn son that he would be able to measure up to any of them.

_I met the girl that's now my wife about three years ago.  
><em>_We had the perfect marriage but we wanted something more.  
>Now I here I stand surrounded by our family and friends,<br>crowded 'round the nursery window as they bring the baby in._

As Teddy was given the baby to hold in his small arms, Harry smiled. Teddy was four years old now and he looked every bit his father, a voice to match his father's and he had his way with words. His hair changed from an electric blue to a warm red as he smiled at the baby. His heart was so much his mother's that it made Harry grin at the many memories of Tonks at dinner time in Grimwauld place or meetings with the order. Remus had loved him as much as Sirius had, always giving Harry a kind hand or a warm talk when he was upset about his parents or the war. He had told Harry many stories of his father and his mother. Harry just wished that Remus could see his son now, his beautiful eyes that matched his mother's and that wonderful smile as he held his new 'cousin.' Teddy looked over at Harry with that mischievous grin. Harry knew that over the years he would be teaching his son the ways of the marauders that both Harry and Teddy's fathers had passed on to them.

_And all of a sudden, though it seems so strange to me,  
>how we went from something's missing to a family.<br>__Looking through the glass I think about the man standing next to me,  
>and I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be.<em>

"What have you decided to call him?" Luna asked as she held his son in her arms and rocked him softly as Neville was softly stroking the baby's cheek. Luna was pregnant with their second child and their first was clinging to Neville's leg with her small hands. Neville reached down and picked her up from the floor so that she could see the baby.

"James Sirius Aberforth Potter." Harry said as the baby was handed to Hermione.

"That's a lovely name," Hermione said softly as the baby cooed in her arms. Ron clapped Harry on the back as he looked at his wife.

"Not a bad sight," he said and Harry laughed. "We might just have to start having our own soon." Hermione looked at him with a sly smile.

"Maybe in a year or two," she said as she cuddled the baby close to her.

"Your father would be very proud, you know." Molly told Harry as she sat down next to him on the bench. "You've come a long way." She put her hand to his cheek and stroked it lovingly. "I'm very proud of you as well." The baby was handed to her and her tears began as she looked at her newest grandson. "My little James," she said proudly. Harry felt the closure overwhelming him as his family stood about him. A doctor came out into the hall.

"Mr. Potter, you may see her now." A midwife came to Mrs. Weasley. "We'll also need the baby for examination." Mrs. Weasley nodded and handed the baby to the midwife and Harry stood up and walked into the room that held Ginny. She was resting in the bed, her hair was still a mess and a tiredness enveloped her. She smiled lightly when she saw Harry and he moved to stand beside her, taking her hand in his and kissing it softly.

"He's beautiful." He told her as he stroked her dampened hair with his free hand.

"He has your hair," she said softly. "I think he'll grow to look just like you and your father." Harry grinned at the thought.

"He'll have your eyes, I know... Teddy already has everything he's going to teach him all planned out." Ginny giggled and Harry kissed her. It was going to be an interesting eighteen years, but he knew they could handle it if he were at least half the father that those certain few didn't have to be.

**AN: What do you think of the ending? Good, bad?**


End file.
